Nice Day Outside

81
Met a nice guy from Twin Lakes Golf Course named Paul who was down in the area and going to Pinehurst for the weekend with his chapter of the American Singles Golf Association. Sounded pretty cool for the 45 and up group and they get to play a lot of courses with mixers and stuff once or twice a month. He has been attempting to play in all 50 states and was at 35 so far. I played well today, my best score from the blues. I had quite a few really close putts. REALLY CLOSE. Man when they drop the score is going to plummett. Maybe after telling myself to devote more time to putting per week I might begin to listen, because honestly, at this point, my inside-100-yard-game is really lagging. However, it makes sense that the driving came together, the irons and full-swing wedges have all but completely locked on. I'd say they're about 85-90% there, would be higher but I still have a couple flubs on tricky lies sometimes. So, therefore, the inside-100-yard-range is the next skill to fall into place. This will leave the entirely separate game of perfect green-reading and putting, which I am definitely scratching at, but not putting enough effort into. Ha ha. Isn't that some sort of something witty? I've just been informed it's a pun. That sounds good to me. Just counting the days til I'm back in the higher paying prison, uh, I mean job. I've come to peace with it, it was my decision and I am tired of being poor, so golf will consist of after work, probably around 12-18 holes, along with plenty of practice shots, followed by trying to get in 2 rounds per weekend, but 1 at the very least. It's going to be busy but worth it.

Game on!

78
Finally shot below an 80!!!!! I have been hitting some 39s and 38s but then losing control on the second 9 over the last couple weeks and it has been infuriating, but I finally hit below my first milestone. 39 on both front and back 9's. Also, without the blow-up 7 (AAAGGHH!!!!) on 11 and missing 2 or 3 putts that I really should have made, I am easily closing in on a 75 round. My driving control was completely there today as I hit the fairway or green on every single drive except one. Amazing what happens when I take just about 10% or so off my drive power, they all go straight and where I want them too! Putting is coming along, I was so pumped to have sunk my birdie on 18 because my second shot landed pin-high and I would have been very upset if I couldn't have made the short 5 footer I left myself. Everything is getting that much closer to my 70 goal. Could happen tomorrow, we'll see!

Oh yeah.

82

41 on front and back, with a few putts that should have dropped, along with fighting monday errant driving, so I feel pretty good. Such a perfect day. Well, almost to my first milestone, but for how I'm playing, it really can and will be a lot better, soon. Tomorrow. That's it, very happy to have finally started shooting better and I finally developed an actual putting grip. Didn't know until the nice guy who re-gripped my putter at Golfsmith mentioned that I wasn't supposed to use the interlock grip when putting. Who knew? Well, control was significantly better and easier, so nice, one more key element to the game. I guess mine is pretty classic like Tiger's or many others. Rain supposedly tomorrow so looks like I'll have the course to myself and might be able to play 2 complete rounds at once. I hope so, because man I love that.

Heartbreak Hole-Tell

Progress this week! BIG PROGRESS! On Thursday I hit my first ever 39 on the front 9 from the white tees! Only 4 strokes over par which was exciting, but I only played 9 so it wasn't THAT exciting since was always a chance the back 9 wouldn't go so well which brings me to Friday. It was hot and muggy and just an energy-sapping sort of day. I, however, started wonderfully and shot a 38 from the blue tees (only 3 over par) on the back 9 (hole 10 start on Fridays) to start which really made me realize just how much progress I've been making because theoretically if I were to replicate that on the second 9 I would have put together a 76, only 6 over par and well under my 80 goal all-the-while that much closer to my ultimate 70. Enter that energy-sapping weather I mentioned coupled with a complete lack of enough food to keep the gas tank full and you have a f-ing 50 on the next 9!  Certainly a disappointing 88 considering the start of the round, but lesson learned that as it gets hotter and hotter I am going to need to increase my food intake from only my typical hard-boiled egg in the morning, a sliced apple and 2 Toast Chee cracker packs because I was tapped after the front 9 and had a long way to go. Very upsetting because I really hoped it would be the day I dropped below 80, but no such luck yet. Next week I know it's going to happen to talk to you soon!

My favorite golf story ever

First off, it's been a little while and have been steadily improving and playing. I developed a draw last week that has made a significant difference in my ironplay. I now comfortably hit my 9 iron 150 yards, even my pitching wedge is approaching that distance. In addition, I am beginning to get control shaping shots, the most dramatic is my driver, which I can now put various draws and fades as needed per hole (not always necessarily consistent but the control of it is coming along very well). Monday I had a round where I was on the green/fringe in 2 shots on all but 4 holes, however, my putting let me down that day making me realize I'd been neglecting it, so I've am now trying to hit putts everyday as well as all my other clubs, guess I should have been doing it all along. Still haven't hit the 80 mark, but it's very, very close and I'll post that score soon.

On to my favorite golf story ever, which actually has to do with yours truly. The best shot I've ever made in my life  happened when I was a freshman in high school, playing with my friend, and I had about a 45'-50' putt, ridiculously long. He's standing there tending the flag and says with a chuckle, "If you make this putt I'll piss my pants." I took a quick glance, stepped up and let the ball roll. It was one of those shots that you just know is going in the entire way, and I started to smile bigger and bigger waiting for that lovely sound of the ball dropping. After it went in, he stood there with a confused look of disbelief and slowly shook his head as if maybe it didn't really happen and probably wondering why in the world he offered that as an option if I actually did make it. A second later he stared at me with a mixture of anger and determination while a long wet mark slowly soaked all the way down the front of his slacks. I couldn't stop laughing and we still had 9 more holes to play. This story still gives me a smile everytime I think of it.